Flame's Company
by Norsehound
Summary: Xover with Sailor MoonRewrite and edit from a previous version Four years after Tolpa, Ryo goes to Sendai to fulfill an errand left behind by his mother.


FLAME'S COMPANY 

Written by: Norsehound

Disclaimer:

Yoroiden Samurai Troopers was produced by Sunrise

Sailor Moon (Sailor Senshi) was created by Naoko Takeuchi

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Notes:

I've tried to keep accuracy of the Ronin and Senshi up to par, but there are some things of note. The English translation names will be used for the fic, but for other information (locations, names, attacks), I will try to keep it close to the Japanese names and labels attributed to things.

I'm more of a Ronin Warrior/Yoroiden Samurai Trooper fan than an SM fan (obviously, since I'm male), so if this seems more Ronin than Senshi, then please forgive the bias of the author.

I've also done some time synchronizing on my part. YST takes place in 88' or so, while I could not find a time date for the Senshi. For simplicity's sake, I assume that both series (season 1 of Senshi and Seasons 1-2 of YST) took place in roughly the same time, since obviously the Senshi would be oblivious to the events of YST, as everyone else was).

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Ryo Senada wasn't one to take the tiger for a walk on an ordinary day.

This wasn't an ordinary day. For one, obligation made him come here to this city where he nor his friends had ever been before. The second was that he was here during his summer break between schools. The third was the fact that White Blaze was here, instead of with Mia at the university. Someone had to keep the tiger under control, and Ryo had the sense that the tiger was bored.

Ryo put a hand in his pocket and removed the letter to flip it open with a pair of fingers. Stopping at an intersection he glanced over the writing that was jotted down on the old slip of paper.

White Blaze made a low growl while he sat on the ground, the leash around his neck looking out of place about the large tiger.

"Hey relax," Said Ryo and lowered his free hand to scratch the tiger's head, "It's only until we get to this place… if we ever get there…"

White Blaze gave an undulating growl, which must have passed for the tiger equivalent of a chuckle. Ryo just glanced at the tiger before looking up at the street signs. "Hikawa Shrine," Mused Ryo as he folded the note again, "Right, and of course it isn't on a 'Hikawa' road… All right, this way…"

The tiger trotted beside Ryo as the pair of them ascended a hill. Passing cars slowed down as they passed the pair, and pedestrians kept clear of the tiger. The leash around White Blaze's neck was probably the only reason why the riot squad was not called out on them.

When he saw someone looking at the tiger he was reminded how hard it was to get the leash on in the first place. White Blaze didn't like having any kind of restraint, or children on his back for that matter… But Ryo had told the tiger that the only way he was coming with him in public was if this leash was on him. To spare himself from endless boredom of sitting in the sun, the Tiger agreed to the leash.

They reached the top of the hill and Ryo looked to his left to see a very ornate building residing at the top of the hill. "That looks like the place," Said Ryo and down at the tiger, "Eh?"

The tiger muttered in agreement and they crossed the street to ascended the massive stairway leading to the shrine gates. He stopped underneath the gateway at the top of the stairs to marvel at the structure. Tigers guarded either ends of the doorway and a perfectly tiled roof matched the mystery and awe of the magnificent Hikawa Shrine.

"Huh. I wonder if Tolpa musta kidnapped the architect to do his place." Muttered Ryo and stretched his arms before continuing his walk up the stairs, "Or he probably stole the plans…"

Ryo reached the open doorway and walked inside the seemingly abandoned shrine. He stopped and looked around at the insides, turning his head and listening for any sound.

The tiger's ears were perked as he too turned his brown eyes to look around while Ryo called out, "Hello? Is there anybody here? Hey!"

Ryo heard a sound at the far end of the shrine and turned his head to stare in that direction. White Blaze let out a low growl but stopped when Ryo spread his lowered hand before him, "Hold on…"

Ryo moved forward slowly, crossing the shrine's open court and coming up along the side of the building. He walked through the open-air hallway and into another court, where he heard disciplinary action being undertaken.

"You child!" rambled an old man, "You should know better!"

Bop

"Ow! Hey, Grandpa, it isn't my fault!" Complained a shaggy-hared young man.

"No matter!" Replied the small elderly man as he smacked the boy again with the broom, "You should know better then-"

Ryo was walking into this and would have said something when he heard another sound from behind him. White Blaze turned his head sharply and stared in that direction.

"What is it?" whispered Ryo, turning away from the sounds of the complaining old man and crouching down beside the tiger, "What?"

White blaze trotted forward, tugging on Ryo's leash and almost taking him off-balance. "All right, all right!" called Ryo and followed the tiger deeper into the shrine.

The tiger made a left, then a right, and came to a doorway. White blaze nudged open the door with his muzzle and Ryo peered inside with his blue eyes.

A figure was crouched there before a blazing fire. Ryo winced when he saw the figure there and was about to speak when he heard something at the edge of his hearing.

He turned his head in the hallway to listen to where the strange sound was coming from, but he found out it was coming from the very room he was looking into. He stared back into the room and winced again as he slowly opened the door. It creaked only slightly but the figure seemed to be transfixed on the fire and the sound that seemed to be coming from it.

White Blaze's nose twitched but he remained by the door while Ryo took a step into the room, turning his head to the left a little to listen to where that sound was coming from.

The tiny sound of clashing metal was there. Ryo stopped just inside the room and heard the noise growing steadily.

He turned to stare beyond the figure's head and into the fire where the flames were flickering into shapes and forms. As Ryo watched, the flames seem to take shape and life in forms all too familiar to him.

The brightest of the flames seemed to take shape of him and his armor, and the wispy clouds around them were shaped in the dark grey armors of the Youja soldiers. Ryo stared at the miniature figure of himself fighting the soldiers of the dynasty from the dark days of Tolpa. Wincing he could remember just about every fight that was being replayed in the burning embers before him.

A log snapped and the vision changed. Ryo was also transfixed on the fire, watching it as he would watch a movie. Now instead of Rekka he had donned Kikouki, or as he knew it, the armor of Inferno. In this vision he was running parallel with a large column of smoke that was taking shape as Tolpa's massive grey armor.

He watched the fire and the smoke clash with one another all over again: Ryo's twin swords against Tolpa's massive blade.

A breeze somehow shifted the fire into something else. Ryo's image was standing armored in Rekka again, but this time with another figure beside him. The vision continued to shift in hazy uncertainty, displaying for all to see the Rekka armor acting with the stranger. Ryo watched as his representation and this strange other figure moved together in some sort of attack.

Then the log suddenly snapped in half. The embers hit the bottom of the pan and the fire roared with incredible passion. Rising into the air like a bad memory was the ornate mask of Tolpa, outlined in the smoke of the animate fire.

As the mask hung there before the girl and before Ryo, he could have sworn he heard Tolpa's confident laughter again. His eyes widened and his face donned a look of shock and anger, ready to summon his armor at a moment's notice.

White Blaze must have heard it also for he bore his fangs and roared loudly.

With a final laugh the mask exploded into a burst of flame. But at the roar of the tiger the figure crouched before the fire stood and whirled. "Who goes-?" She demanded

She stopped and blinked at seeing a bright red Kanji on Ryo's forehead. She hesitated for a second, but by then the Kanji was already fading and Ryo was blinking out of it. "Huh?" he asked and looked into her face.

The miko demanded again, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Huh? Oh…sorry," said Ryo, "My tiger…"

"I don't care about your tiger, who are you and what do you want here?" She asked again.

"Sorry," Said Ryo and reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing past the armor orb on their way to the note. He pulled it out and handed it to her, "My name is Ryo Sanada, I'm Sunako's son."

The woman with the black hair looked over the note, "This is…old…are you sure this is genuine?"

"Look, it was my mom's." said Ryo, "She said she had a favor for the shrine she'd pay back someday."

"So why you and not your mom?" Asked the woman as she looked up from the note.

"…My mom passed away when I was four." Said Ryo, "I was just going through some of her stuff when I found this."

"…I see…" said the woman. She hesitated as she gave Ryo a once-over, then started walking while she waved the note and said, "Come with me."

Ryo exchanged a glance with White Blaze, but followed the woman after she walked right past the mystical tiger without the slightest remark. Ryo followed her back through the hallway and eventually into the court where the youth being disciplined earlier was sweeping.

Seated on the side of the deck was the old man, whom the woman approached and presented the letter, "Grandpa, do you recognize this?" Asked the Miko.

"Let me see that," said the short old man and took the letter, "Erhhh….oh….Oh, I remember this….Sunako! Is she here?"

"No, but her 'son' is." Said the woman and glanced at Ryo.

"Let me see," Said the old man and Ray stepped aside to reveal Ryo. "Oh….Oh yes, yes this is him!" Said the little man, "Ryo is it? I remember when your mother was still sending me letters! My, how you've grown!"

"Er…yeah…" said Ryo, "This is my tiger White-"

"Byakuen!" Called the old man.

White Blaze gave him a confused look and the old man coughed, then went on, "Well, um…I seem to have been mistaken." the old man folded the letter and continued, "So, where is your loving mother?"

"She passed away when I was four." Replied Ryo.

"Oh…oh…I see…" the old man said, "I am…greatly sorry to hear that….but it 's no wonder she hasn't been sending letters…. But in any case, I assume you have come here to fulfil her errand?"

"Yeah," replied Ryo, "And maybe find some place to stay…I'm outta high school so I need some place-"

"Well you've come to the right place my boy!" the old man cheered and stood up, "It so happens I need some more assistants, after all THIS one here has shown his share of failures!"

"But Grandpa!" The young man protested.

"No, I'm not firing you," grandpa replied, "But seeing as this young man seems competent enough, and I assume willing enough, I will agree to hire you to fulfil your errand."

"…Okay," Ryo replied.

Grandpa smiled at the tiger, "And I'm sure we can find some accommodations for your tiger, also."

The other boy protested, "What!? You mean we're gonna have a huge white tiger wandering around?! That's suicide!!!"

"Hey, White Blaze is tame," said Ryo, thinking _of course, some Youja would disagree with that…_

"Well Chad, if he hasn't attacked anyone so far, then maybe we can trust him." Said the girl.

The old man nodded and added, "Besides, I'm sure Ryo is responsible enough to deal with the consequences if he does. I will let Raye show you to your room for your stay here, Ryo."

"Thank you." Said Ryo and looked to Raye.

A moment later Raye was guiding Ryo to a spare room and saying, "I apologize for my behavior Mr. Sanada, but we don't usually get that many visitors this time of year."

"I understand," said Ryo, "And besides I'm sure you don't get a lot of people showing up with tigers."

"I don't mind that," said Raye, "Tigers are a sacred symbol after all, especially white ones."

Ryo looked down at White blaze, "Hear that white blaze? You're sacred!"

The tiger uttered a groan and Ryo laughed at that while Raye pushed open a doorway. "This will be your room…"

Ryo peeked inside and noted after he saw the room, "comfy." He adjusted the strap and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Oh, I'm Raye Hino by the way."

"And it's just Ryo." Replied Ryo, "Nobody really calls me 'Mr. Sanada.', That's just what they call my Dad."

"Oh? And where is your dad?" asked Raye.

Ryo moved into the room saying, "Off in Africa again probably. I never see him."

"I'm sorry…" Raye replied and leaned in the doorway while White Blaze followed Ryo into the room, "You don't seem to like your father do you?"

"Nah, I don't have anything against him. He's just out of the country most of the time for his job. My Dad never liked the strict stuff my family has. I've never met him personally, or most of my family for that matter." Said Ryo.

"How sad." Raye put in.

"Well, live and learn, right?" Ryo replied and smiled at her.

Raye blushed a little and smiled back, then went on, "Well, I'll get you some cloths to change into, then we'll go over the chores, all right?"

"Sounds great." Said Ryo.

Raye left and closed the door while she went, allowing Ryo to sigh and lean forward to scratch White Blaze's head. "Normal life…" He said and smiled, "Well, it'll be something eh?"

The tiger gave a low groan back.

"Right, how can I have a normal life when you're following me around, eh old friend?"

The tiger licked Ryo's hand.

Some time later Ryo was sweeping the front porch and dressed in the shrine's robes. White Blaze, thankful to be off the leash, was lying down in the sun just inside the shrine. Perhaps, Ryo thought as he swept, sleeping in the sun here was much better than it was back at Mia's homestead.

Laughter was heard from the steps and Ryo looked up to see some girls walking up the Shrine's steps. He stopped sweeping and held his broom while they approached.

They both spotted him at once, one of them asking immediately, "Who's that?"

"Dunno…" replied the other one.

"Hi ladies." Ryo greeted.

"Hi!" They both chirped as they approached. The brown-headed one asked, "Who are you? I haven't seen you around…"

"My name's Ryo," Replied Ryo, "I'm…a new employee here."

"Well, must be boring sweeping all day," Said the golden-hared one with a pair of long, draping ponytails, "I mean, you don't seem to be having much fun."

"Actually I'm doing it for a favor." Ryo answered.

"Ah!" said the blonde and pointed a finger at him while leaning closer, "So what did you do to Raye to get the scut duty?"

"Huh?" Ryo asked.

The other one crossed her arms, "Maybe he said something to her in public and this is his punishment."

"Or their cousins!" said the blond one to the brown one, "And he's doing this because he's being bad!"

Ryo was puzzled, "Look, ladies-"

"Serena! Lita! Leave him alone!" Called Raye from the gates.

"Oh!" they both chimed while Raye approached. The blonde one asked, "So who is this guy?"

"Like he said, he's a new employee here." Raye replied and winced when she asked, "What were you talking about Serena?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing," waved Serena, "Just some gossip that's all."

"Yeah, I'll say." Added Ryo, "They thought I was your cousin."

"My…what?" Raye asked and looked at Serena, "What made you think that?"

"Well you two DO look alike… a little…" Lita said, "You both have black hair."

"And blue eyes," Serena said.

Turning to one another, Serena and Lita chorused together, "What a cute couple!"

Raye put a hand to her face while Ryo looked at them if they had come from Mars.

"Look, guys, if you're done terrorizing Ryo let's just go inside," Said Raye.

"All right," Sighed Lita and walked after Raye, while Serena waved and chirped, "Nice to meet you!"

"Uh…yeah…" Ryo replied.

The girls kept walking through the gates, and stopped to stare at the yawning tiger.

"…Who's this?" Lita asked, "Raye, isn't it dangerous to keep tigers off of a leash?"

"Huh? Oh, that's White Blaze, Ryo's tiger." Raye said.

The ladies looked at the tiger and then over at Ryo as he watched them through the gates. Lita leaned to Serena's ear and said, "Is this guy fantastic or what?"

"Yeah…" Answered Serena.

Ryo sighed and shook his head before continuing to sweep, "Girls…a good thing none of them were Ronins…."

Behind the closed door of Raye's room, the three girls were in the middle of talking.

"I swear, that's what I saw," Said Raye, "An armored soldier with a pair of swords…then some dark things…dark things fighting him."

"So do you think the negaverse is back?" Lita asked, hugging her knees to her chest while she sat on the floor.

"I don't know," Replied Raye, "And that wasn't all. I saw some more visions from the past, it was another warrior again in different armor…white armor, fighting some big evil…."

"A negaverse monster?" Asked Lita again, speaking to herself in thought.

"No…" said Raye as she shook her head slowly, "Not from the negaverse, as we know it. These things, whatever they are, were armed- with real weapons."

"Well," Serena said, "I'd say some of the things WE fought had real weapons."

"But these…whatever they are, relied more on physical weapons then powers," Said Raye and shook her head and closed her eyes, then rubbed her sinuses, "I don't know… these fire readings have been really strange lately. Ordinarily I would talk to Amy…."

"Amy's gone though," Lita said softly, "She's off on her own somewhere."

"Yeah," Sighed Raye, "But that's not what I'm really worried about."

"What is it then?" Serena asked.

Raye sighed with her eyes staring into the distance, then went on, "It wasn't those visions that bothered me…I think they were from the past. What really got me was that I saw myself with this person…"

"What?" the girls asked a second apart, before Lita asked, "You mean you saw the future?"

"Echoes…nothing more," replied Raye and sighed, "Then I saw this gigantic floating helmet thing. It was laughing, a sinister laugh…kinda…different from the Negaverse… Anyway, when it laughed Ryo's tiger started up and then it vanished. That's when I saw Ryo."

Serena thought for a second before saying, "Hey, guys, suppose…Ryo was that thing that you saw?"

"What?" Asked Raye, "What do you mean, the soldier….or that helmet thing?"

Lita winced, "Well it is pretty strange that you see this when Ryo shows up. Maybe we should be careful around him…."

"Or YOU should, Raye," Serena added, "After all, he is staying here. Maybe this favor thing was a ruse?"

"No, Grandpa seems to know him," Raye replied and sighed, "I just wish we could know more about this Ryo and weather we could trust him or not…"

Later that night both of the visitors left for their homes, leaving their decision on Ryo still in question.

As night fell, Ryo was in his room after dinnertime reading through old textbooks to keep his studies up before he reached college. Raye was partaking in another fire reading, staring intently at the fire now flickering before her. Everyone else had either turned in or retired for the evening.

White Blaze was lying down in the middle of the room with his eyes closed in rest.

Ryo flipped another page, half-listening to the quiet sounds of the shrine.

He heard something.

Looking up Ryo stared at the ceiling to listen for the sound again. White Blaze's ears were up and listening intently for it also.

Another sound: faint, but audible.

Ryo blinked and got out of the bed to stand in the middle of his room to listen for it again.

Nothing.

"…Huh….am I hearing things?" Ryo asked and looked down at the tiger who was standing now and staring at Ryo. The tiger glanced out the door and then back at Ryo.

"So I'm not then," said Ryo and reached out to pocket his armor orb before going outside his room and into the darkened hallway. White Blaze slipped out with him and the two of them started wandering the Shrine's halls.

Ryo knew everyone else was in their rooms alseep. Though there was a curfew, this didn't stop Ryo from wandering into one of the courts and looking around. Only the sounds of crickets disturbed the peace for now.

"Huh…." Said Ryo, "Nothing here…"

White Blaze was sniffing the air. He caught something and kept with it, and like a dog trotted forward some steps as he followed the scent.

"You got something?" Ryo asked.

White Blaze let out a low growl.

"So I'm not loosing it," said Ryo and risked armoring up. He crushed the armor orb with his hand and the under gear formed over him. In a blink, he was standing in his red-white pattern of armor sub armor.

Ryo turned his blue eyes to look around, "And you would have thought after four years…" Murmured the Ronin and looked at the roof. Two hops later he was standing on it, and so was White Blaze. Ryo took a step and heard the roof creak, so he crouched down and listened intently as his blue eyes staring out into the dark moonlit night.

White Blaze sniffed the air again and the creak of wood came to their ears.

Ryo listened closer and thought he could hear footsteps.

Surveying the roof, Ryo started to traverse it while keeping the creaking to a minimum. White Blaze followed step-for-step after the Ronin, ears peeked out for anything out of the ordinary.

Ryo crouched again and closed his eyes. The creaking sounded again, and this time he could hear distinct footprints… and not just one pair either.

"I think we have company," Ryo mused softly and looked down into another court.

Dark shapes were moving there, and the glinting of weapons in the moonlight didn't look comforting.

"So it is the Dynasty," Muttered Ryo, "Stupid Youja. Let's go!"

Ryo started across the rooftops at a faster speed, taking long strides with White Blaze right behind him. The armors were making for the only other rooms in the shrine, so with luck he might be able to catch them without even armoring up.

He finished his run along the rooftops and paused to hear sounds again.

"Lost 'em!" hissed Ryo.

Then the sound of a breaking door and a cry was heard in the night. Ryo spun his head.

Her eyes open from the meditation, Raye Hino turned them towards the door at the sound of something. Slowly she stood as she figured out who the voice came from.

That was Grandpa. She had only heard him cry out once, so she listened for a moment more to see if he cried again.

"Nightmares again…" She said and started to turn back to the fire, but then she heard a creaking from the roof. She looked up to see and hear the rhythmic pattern of the roof creaking and bending…as if someone was walking on it.

"Oh no…" She murmured and walked for the doorway, believing that it was a thief in the night.

Though the clan of Sanada was a famed line of Ninjas, Ryo was not such an intruder.

Ryo dropped down from the roof with White Blaze into the middle of a hallway and ducked into an empty room.

More footsteps were heard, this time with the murmuring so familiar to him by now.

Another, deeper murmur was heard and the sharp clinking of armor.

Ryo waited in the doorway. He thought he heard footprints, so he rounded the door to find… nothing.

"Damnit," Huffed Ryo softly and stared sneaking through the hallways again. He stopped as he heard yet another pair of footprints and a light being shone around the hallway.

Ryo went flat against the wall and waited. Hiding behind a doorframe, Ryo looked to see where White Blaze had hidden and saw the tiger's tail in the doorframe of another empty room.

But soon enough the light found him and Raye called, "Ryo! What are you doing?"

"Raye?" Asked Ryo as he hid his eyes from the harsh light while stepping out from his cover.

"And what's with that getup? What are you doing out here?" Raye asked.

"I thought I heard something," Replied Ryo.

"Yeah, but what are you wearing?" Raye said as her light drifted down to his sub-armor.

"Uh…my Pajamas?" Ryo answered.

Chad's exited voice called out in the night. Both heads and flashlight turned in that direction.

"We have company," said Ryo.

"Some of your friends then?" Asked Raye suspiciously.

"What?'

Raye turned to him, "You know, you've been mighty mysterious Mr. Sanada. First you come here and only Grandpa knows you, and the next your wandering around in some kind of getup with creepy things going on."

"Listen," Ryo said, "I don't have time for this. We have invaders in the house and they've taken your grandpa. Just clear out of here and don't get hurt."

"Ryo I'm not going to leave until you answer some of my questions," Said Raye.

"Look, we don't have time," Said Ryo, "If you're going to stop me go ahead and try, but we have more important things to worry about."

Raye turned her head, "Right…but I'm not leaving."

"…Raye," said Ryo as he started walking, "Just go, you can get hurt."

"I'm not afraid," She answered, "Besides, I'm a Miko. I can take care of myself."

"Fine, whatever," Replied Ryo, "Just…try not to get in my way, okay?" asked Ryo when they started walking, White Blaze trailing behind.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Raye.

Just as they passed an intersection something lunged out at Raye. She back-stepped out of the way and Ryo spun to land a fist on the assailant's back. It collapsed and rolled over to give Ryo a good look at what he was facing.

"A Dynasty trooper!" He called out and kicked it when it got up. Raye backed up again and again as Ryo hammered it in the face, chest, and then the final blow to the facemask.

The armor collapsed backward and came apart, a discolored smoke draining from its interior as the armor crumbled to dust.

Raye covered her mouth and asked, "What is that thing?"

"A Dynasty soldier," said Ryo, "Look, just clear out of here and let me handle this!"

"No," replied Raye, "I have to find out where they have the others."

"All right," said Ryo, "But that 's the last chance. I can't guarantee your safety."

Raye lowered her head, "I'm still going to go through with this…and afterward, you'll answer my questions."

Ryo sighed and turned away to look down the darkened hallway, "That's if we make it out of this in one piece. Let's go!"

The tiger roared and chased after Ryo as he and Raye ran down the hallway.

Ryo skidded as he came into the courtyard to see eight dynasty soldiers turning.

"Hell no," Ryo said and ducked out of the way of a cluster of arrows from the roof. Raye backed up the way she came and slowly ducked into the shadows, hoping to find a secretive place…

Ryo on the other hand was busy fighting for his life. The first soldier was of course armed with a Kusari Gama, and Ryo dodged the scythe end and hammered the solider in the face with his fists, then kicked it in the head.

As that one crumbled two more were closing with spears. White Blaze pounced on the first to close, while Ryo ducked the spear from the second and grabbed it. A shoving match occurred before Ryo was forced to drop the spear in favor of going hand-to-hand. After smacking that trooper he took the spear from the ground and spun it once before throwing it into the other trooper.

White Blaze was off in time for the spear to go through the armor's side, and that soldier clasped the imbedded weapon as the gasses leaked from his side. As it collapsed Ryo turned to face the remaining five.

Raye on the other hand rounded a corner and sighed, "If he keeps up like this he could get killed…."

She closed her eyes and chanted, "MARS STAR POWER!!!!"

Had Ryo been there he would have blushed, for her transformation involved a substantial amount of cloths swapping.

Nevertheless when it was finished she was endowed with the power of Sailor Mars, one of the Senshi that four years prior had defeated the negaverse.

She headed a different way to see what she could do.

Back in the battle Ryo was facing more kinds of difficulty.

Three of the soldiers were archers, and with their almost endless supply of arrows, it made things only worse that they were crack shots.

Ryo ducked and rolled out of the way of a trio of arrows while the two Dynasty soldiers armed with swords came at him.

White Blaze took on one by ramming it in the torso and tossing it to the ground. The other one swung down his sword that would have cut off Ryo's if he didn't evade it.

Ryo stood back up only to get hit by an arrow in the shoulder. It didn't penetrate, but he felt the sting and winced.

Then he dodged another slash from the sword-armed attacker before kicking the warrior in the torso, then following up with a roundhouse to the head.

The soldier stumbled but held his sword out to counter Ryo's next blow.

The Ronin corrected his mistake and dodged the counter attack, and heard the whizzing of arrows past his head.

He needed to armor up.

But with Raye around?

And where was Raye?

Fortunately White blaze arrived to deal with Ryo's assailant, while Ryo backpedaled into cover as he took a survey of the archer's positions. Arrows lodged in the wood that he hid behind, and he rasped to himself, "All right, I can do this…I just need to keep disguised…"

He held out his arms in front of him and called out, "ARMOR OF WILDFIRE!!! DAO-CHII!!!!!"

Piece by piece the red armor plates formed around him one by one. The process ended with the helmet which had its faceplate swung down to obscure his face.

"I just hope this works," Said Ryo behind the mask while he pulled out both swords and rounded the corner.

The Soldiers, upon seeing the wildfire armor, panicked and started running.

So Ryo chased them, leaping up onto the roof and running across the top like a madman.

Raye on the other hand, in an attempt to come around the enemies Ryo was facing, got side-tracked and ended up in another courtyard.

There were enemies here too.

Raye skidded to a stop in her high heels and held her arms before her, "Who are you?"

"Huahaha…." Laughed one of the soldiers. He stepped forward into the moonlight, his white armor shining like snow as he did so. Ornate patterns grafted on the exterior of the armor glinted as he spoke, "So… what do we have here? All dressed up for an early all hallow's eve, little girl?"

"I don't care who the hell you are," Said Raye, "But I've come to stop you!"

"Raye?" Asked Chad's voice, "Is that you?"

Raye's eyes went wide and looked to the white soldier's right to see both hostages tied up to a large wooden rack.

Raye hid her face, but then realized they were blindfolded.

"I was expecting someone else," replied the solider, "But a fine girl like you would make the perfect hostage to drive out the wildfire. After all, what better a lure than a damsel in distress?"

Raye took an offensive posture again, "If you think I'm just some weak little girl you got another thing coming buddy!"

"Really," said the warrior and started to twirl his Kusari gamma's chain end, "So I take it you have come to prove me wrong then?"

"Of course," Smirked Raye and chanted, "Mars fire IGNITE!!"

Through her motions a steady stream of fire burst forth from her pointed fingertip and flowed for the warrior.

All the white soldier needed to do was raise his scythe-holding arm and the fire parted before him.

"What!?" Asked a panicked Raye.

"Hmm….meant for wildfire, but effective nonetheless," Said the warrior. His left arm raised, a pendant was seen dangling from his fingers as he held the scythe end of his weapon. He stepped forward and spoke as his armor clashed in the night, "I am Tokuga, Former Lieutenant of Lord Tolpa's elite squadron. We were abandoned here when our world was destroyed, and for four years we waited. I have come to claim the Wildfire armor for myself, and be your executioner. SEIZE HER!"

Dynasty soldiers leapt off the roof and ran for Raye. She turned and chanted, "MARS FIRE-" But that's as far as she got as another one dropped in from behind her and crooked his arms around hers to prevent her from moving. In vain she tried stamping her heels on the soldier's toes, but all they clashed against was armor.

"So," said Tokuga as he stopped before Raye, the Kusari Gama's scythe angled down in one hand and the chain clasped in the other, "You must be one of those Sailor Senshi I heard about. Pitiful! Now you know why only the Ronin warriors could ever challenge Lord Tolpa's power- because they were armed! You pathetic girls were lucky in challenging that witch queen Baryl, for she had no real soldiers! Only pathetic Youja made from clay!"

Raye squirmed in the iron grasp of the soldiers as Tokuga stepped closer, "Now little girl, let's see what you look like without your pretty makeup."

Raye squirmed again and tried to utter something.

Fortunately the solider on her left crumbled from a direct blow, and the other two holding her down released her to grab their weapons. The one on her left was taken down by a great white beast, while the one behind her soon was deprived of his life smoke by a blow to the head.

Raye collapsed as Tokuga backed up saying, "So, the Wildfire has appeared. What took you?"

Raye looked at the red boot that landed beside her and then looked up in awe at the solider that strode into the battlefield. With both his swords drawn, the red-armored warrior replied, "Chasing your soldiers around. Y'know, for such a bad guy you have pretty wimpy troopers."

"Because they are smart enough to lead you directly to me," Said Tokuga and then started swinging the chain of his flail, "Tolpa said some promising things about you the last time I saw him. He said that of all the Ronins you were the most he wished to personally defeat- after all you are the carrier of Hariel's armor and leader of the troopers. I will succeed where he failed!"

"And what makes you think you can do that!?" Asked the solider as he crossed his swords, "Tolpa was bigger than you! And a lot more powerful!"

"Power means only so much in so many words, but it is really what you posses that makes you all the more powerful!" Shouted the soldier and took a stance, "Besides, Lord Tolpa did not have a Kusari Gama."  
"Anubus had one," Said the red soldier.

"Ha! If you think I'm going to defect to your side for a pretty face, you are mistaken!" Shouted Tokuga and flung the chain.

Ryo spun and batted it aside with one saber and charged with the other one ready.

Tokuga descended the scythe and it glanced against the armor, showing sparks everywhere while Ryo cut across the soldier's shoulder armor.

Both warriors backed from one another, but Ryo finished his stance, raised his swords, and declared to the sky: "So-EN ZEN!!!!"

A huge vertical pillar of fire erupted from the red armor's swords and flowed for Tokuga.

The white warrior only held up the amulet and the flames parted around him. When it was over his laughter was heard before saying, "Your girlfriend tried the same thing, Wildfire, and met with a similar result."

"What?" Ryo asked and looked at Raye, who was now standing and taking a stance. His eyes widened inside his helmet as he recognized her face.

"So," Said Tokuga as he swung the chain again and started to pace, "This is an interesting situation indeed. I am immune to your attacks, and you in turn possess the legendary armor of Hariel. Yet, where are your friends Ronin? Or tell me, are you all alone?"

"I don't need help to take you down," Hissed Ryo.

"Do you? My little trinket here allows me to become immune to all things fire. It was something stolen from a museum. Of course, they did not know how to use it correctly!" Tokuga snarled.

"Shut up," Ryo replied.

"Make me," Tokuga said in a teasing tone, and then laughed before saying, "Of course I could, if I wished, killed the hostages-"

He waved a finger and the two guards aside the rack raised their scythes to the necks of the hostages. Chad wailed out in agony, "Aww…we're gonna DIE!!!! HELP!! SOMEONE HELP!!"

"Quiet!" Grunted that guard and smacked Chad on the side head to silence him.

"You wouldn't dare!" Ryo called.

"Would I? It would be so much simpler," said Tokuga, "No challenge, no fight…no blood or any further death…of course it would mean surrendering your armor."

Ryo winced, "You won't keep your promise!"

"You know, you're right." Said Tokuga, "I'd be tempted to kill you. But then, that isn't any disadvantage to me."

Tokuga stopped swinging the chain and let it rest on the ground while he called, "Surrender now or I'll have my guards start cutting slits across their necks…one stroke at a time."

"No!" Shouted Raye.

"And what are you going to do?" Asked Tokuga as he stared at the Senshi, "Sing me to death? Give me a break, your threats are just as pathetic as your uniform! You can't harm me! Neither of you can! So what will it be wildfire, their lives, or your armor?"

Ryo didn't have anything to say to that, but stared out at Tokuga through his mask.

_I need something…someone's help…_

_"There are many gifts that have been endowed to you, Ryo of wildfire…"_

What? Ryo lifted his head to the sky and looked around, "Wha?"

"Now, Ronin!" Shouted Tokuga.

_"But even you cannot go so far without your friends,"_ the ancient one's voice rang in his head, _"And even so, friends cannot be so close as someone dear…"_

_What must I do?_

_"Open your mind, your thoughts, and your spirit. Look not only to the Ronins for assistance but others, like yourself, who fight for justice."_

_Where? Who? What do I seek?_

"What you seek is not far, Ryo of Wildfire…you'll know…" 

Ryo turned his head to look at Raye.

"Wha…?" Raye asked.

Ryo looked back at Tokuga and smiled, "You want my armor? Fine!"

Raye's crest on her chest started to glow. She stared down at it in shock, crying out, "What…?"

Flames erupted around Ryo and covered him. The armor started to change, white plates and parts forming over the Rekka of wildfire.

Raye witnessed her own powers being drawn into the white armor, watching in complete shock as her vision was coming true. Then she looked up.

Raining in from other parts of the sky were other colors, and she could see the green and gold of Serena's and Lita's armors. Others also entered, including a blue and another green.

"It is true!" Tokuga said, "True! The Kikoutei armor exists! It MUST be mine!"

"Fine!" Ryo said as the armor finished, Black blaze landing before him. Ryo drew both swords, "You want this armor? Fight me and me alone for it. If you defeat me I'll give it to you. No hostages, no other threats, and no underhanded games."

"Sounds fair, and fun!" Shouted Tokuga and swung the Kusari Gama, "Finally a challenge!"

The Kusari Gama chain swirled and swung. Ryo swung both swords and bashed the chain aside with one of them and then started for Tokuga with the other one ready.

Tokuga slashed with the Scythe but it was diverted by one of the swords. The dark soldier dodged Ryo's swing after swing before landing a smack on Ryo's head. Ryo reacted by taking one of the arm guards and jabbing the blade along Tokuga's chest. Sparsk flew from the contact but failed to penetrate, and Tokuga responded by smacking Ryo to the ground.

The Ronin turned the fall into a roll and came back up to a stand with both swords before him.

"How about this," Said Tokuga as he swung the his scythe, "I see your tiger and your lady friend are eager to fight. So what say you to this: two of my soldiers also join the fight while your friends also come to play. Sound fair?"

Ryo looked at Raye and then back at Tokuga, "This is our fight."

"Indeed, it is. Very well then," said the soldier and nodded to one of his underlings.

A spear flew for Raye and hit her in the back. She gave out a cry and fell forward, the spear sticking out of her back.

"Raye!" Cried Ryo and half-turned for her. Black blaze stepped over her, growling with jaws open as if to challenge any of the soldiers to do it again.

"See this Ronin!" Shouted Tokuga and held up the amulet, "This is the prized Amulet of the Sun, borrowed from your Osaka Museum. Not only does it have the power to divert the flame you use, but also has the power to restore such flame of life. If you kill me, you can use this stone to restore her life. There, Wildfire, how is that for a challenge?"

"You Bastard," Ryo huffed, "Fine, but no more games!"

"Ronin," replied Tokuga as he swung his flail, "Life is all but a game!"

The Kusari Gama's claw-end came for Ryo, but this time the Ronin swung the blade so fast it cut the chain.

"What!?" Exclaimed the soldier.

But then Ryo dropped both swords to grab the chains and pulled on them, drawing Tokuga off his feet and releasing the scythe from his hands.

Ryo pulled the Kusari Gama from the ground, ripped off the amulet, and turned for Raye.

As Tokuga got up Ryo closed with Raye. He pulled the spear from her back and knelt down to her, softly touching her dying face with a gloved hand.

"R-Ryo?" She asked, delirious from the pain.

"Here," he said softly and laid the amulet on her back.

Her form became covered in flames, hovering just centimeters over her body while the wound closed and she started to heal.

Ryo smiled from inside his helmet, grateful to see that she was alive.

The sounds of sliding metal were heard and Ryo looked up to see Tokuga picking up the Fervor Swords from the ground. Shocked and angered he stood as the solider said, "Now what do we have here? Ah yes, the swords of Fervor, otherwise known as Violent Passion swords. And I have them now."

"Give those back!" Shouted Ryo.

"Why?" replied Tokuga, "You broke the rules of my game, Ronin, so I shall fight you with your own swords. Prove to me that you are greater than your so-called armor!"

"Ryo…" Murmured Raye and Ryo turned around to see her slowly standing, the wound fully healed on her back. Black blaze looked to Ryo while she finished coming to a stand.

"So, Wildfire," Said Tokuga and started to charge, "Let us dance!"

Ryo raised his arms to let the arm guard's fins block the sword's blow, but he was wincing under the strain.

Tokuga laughed until a four-syllable sentence landed in his ears.

"MARS FIRE STORM FLASH!!!"

The white-armored warrior turned to witness a pillar of flame head in his direction. He raised the swords and managed to save himself from being incinerated by their protection. Ryo backed up and stood beside Raye and Black Blaze while she finished her attack.

"You," Hissed a slightly singed Tokuga, "You hit me!"

"Well Duh," Replied Raye and held up the sun amulet, "You don't have this, remember?"

"Even so…these…these swords…AHHHH!!" Tokuga released them and clasped at his hands as he fell to his knees, "My…my hands!"

"Don't you know Tokuga?" Shouted Ryo, "Only those strong enough can hold the swords of Fervor! Not a stupid can like you!"

"But…But I…." Said the trooper in shock, and then in anger, "Fine!" He picked up the swords again despite the pain and turned his head to declare, "Kill them!"

Raye was turning and her hands moving, "Mars FLAME SNIPER!"

A bow and arrow of flame appeared in her hands and she nailed both troopers guarding Chad and Grandpa in under a moment. Ryo charged at Tokuga as did Black Blaze.

Ryo was planning on going hand-to-hand. Black Blaze got to Tokuga before him and was kicked aside by the soldier.

Ryo was skidding to a stop before the solider hammered him and slashed at his with the swords.

Ryo collapsed backward and his helmet fell off. He saw the swords descending again and rolled out of the way as they destroyed the ground where he was just a second ago.

Ryo launched out a foot and kicked the solider backwards, giving him time to stand.

Raye looked from the fallen helmet to the back of Ryo's head. "It-It IS you Ryo!" She stammered aghast.

Ryo looked over at Raye with surprise, but then they both turned to Tokuga as he hissed, "I will kill you both, no matter the cost!"

The arms of the white-armored trooper were red hot and looked like they were on the verge of melting.

Ryo stood beside Raye and said, "I need those swords…"

"We can do it without them!" Replied Raye.

"Huh?" Ryo asked.

Raye looked at him as Tokuga advanced, "Do you remember the visions? The last one?"

"You mean-"

"GRAHH!!" Shouted Tokuga as he broke into a run.

Raye stepped in front of Ryo and held her hands together as a bow formed in her grasp, while Ryo put his hands on her back.

"Here goes!" Shouted Raye, "Mars FLAME SNIPER!"

"Cho Dan Do SOU EN ZAN!!!"

The doubled power of flame rushed out at Tokuga not as a single arrow, but more like a gigantic triangular tidal wave of fire.

It descended on the soldier as a wave of napalm, washing down on the white armor and surrounding him in flame. The soldier screamed as his body was immolated in the flames along with most of the courtyard.

The two fire elementals watched transfixed as the armor melted, and the smoke coming from it started to take shape.

The other Youja troopers that had been watching were also breaking apart, their clouds of dark energy vaporizing as smoke into the sky.

But when Tokuga's armor shattered, the smoke that rose out of him appeared in the shape of Tolpa's Mask. It glared down at Ryo and Raye before screaming and vanishing in an explosion of fire.

"Woa…" Raye remarked, "What was…"

Ryo's white armor faded, breaking away to reveal only the ordinary Rekka armor, the absorbed elements dissipating into the heavens and back to their owners. He walked through the flames like it was nothing to recover the Fervor swords before sheathing them at his back.

He approached Raye again, looking at her intently with his blue eyes. She stared back with her own blue crystals, before asking as she winced, "What are you?"

"I'm…Ryo," Replied Ryo and said in a serious tone, "Forgive me for keeping this from you."

"And me, also," Replied Raye, "I…I didn't know…and I'm sorry I suspected you of anything."

"Hey, it's okay," Said Ryo, "I mean, anyone with a white tiger for a friend can be suspicious right off the bat." Raye laughed at that, and then Ryo added, "But your power…what was it? It was like the other Ronins used to summon the Inferno…"

Her hand came to his chest to feel his armor, and after a moment she said, "I really don't know Ryo."

Ryo lifted a hand to take her gloved one on his chest and he looked into her eyes, "You know, you're really something."

"So are you," She added with her skin blushing.

They started walking away from the battlefield with White blaze trotting behind them.

At least until they heard a voice from the courtyard, "Uh…is it just me or is something burning?"

"You idiot Chad! Of course something is burning! The entire courtyard is on fire!!!" Grandpa shouted and called out, "Raye or someone! Call the fire department! HELP!!!"

----------------

At the end of the week Ryo's duty to the Hikawa shrine had been fulfilled.

He and Raye had not discussed their powers, nor their alternate identities, since the battle. Instead they focused on day-to-day conversations as normal people… perhaps out of fear of what could happen if they brought up their mutual secrets again.

They still had the amulet of the sun. Whether they should return it to the Osaka Museum after a demonstration of its powers or not was yet to be decided. Maybe it was best to hold on to it, or send it to Mia where she still had the Jewel of Life.

Nevertheless Ryo didn't have any obligation to stay in this place anymore.

His cloths were packed, his things were ready, and he had even gotten a paycheck from Grandpa. It was enough to send him back home.

Yet all his packed things were still in the room on the bed. He didn't decide where he would go, or even if he would go home.

Besides, he still had to say goodbye.

Not just to Grandpa or Chad, but to Raye especially. He wanted to seek her out first.

Dressed in his normal cloths, he found her alone before the same fire reading pit he saw her at for the first time. White blaze wasn't around this time but Ryo had the same feeling like the one afternoon when he first peeked in on her.

The flames stirred slightly from their almost motionless glow. This probably alerted Raye to Ryo's entry, and she turned around and stood saying, "Oh, Ryo…."

"Hi…" Said Ryo a little nervously.

"Yes?" Raye asked, "Is…something wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You're blushing." She remarked.

"Huh? Oh, So are you," Observed Ryo.

They chuckled a little at each other's embarrassment, and Raye asked, "So…what did you come in for?"

"I wanted….to say goodbye," Said Ryo.

She looked down and away from his eyes for a moment, then said, "So you're leaving then?"

Ryo replied, "Well, my family's obligation is fulfilled. I… don't need to stay here anymore…"

"Oh…" She answered.

She turned her head away from him again while his gaze drifted. They didn't say anything for a moment, but then Raye asked, "Where will you be going?"

"I don't know," Replied Ryo, "I guess I'll just go back home or something. College doesn't start for a while so…."

"So…" Raye added but didn't say anything.

Another moment of silence, and Raye broke it again as he said, "I've been thinking about the amulet…and our powers…"

"Yeah?" Asked Ryo.

"…Ryo, can't you stay?" She asked.

"You…you want me to stay?" Asked Ryo.

"Ryo… you're a great ally to us and a wonderful person. And since we can fight well together…"

"But fight against what? It's not like the Dynasty will attack us again, I told you…"

"Or the neagaverse you're right…but…Ryo…there's something else I think you should know."

"What?" Ryo asked.

"It's that letter….I talked to grandpa about it…and he said that your family didn't owe us anything."

"Huh?" Ryo asked and stepped closer to her as he said, "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"That letter," Raye said as she turned around to look at him, "Your mother didn't have any kind of dept to pay- she saw something in one of the fire readings."

"So this whole thing…" Ryo trailed off, then asked, "What did she see?"

Raye shrugged, "Grandpa didn't say much about it… only that she saw you as a strong person and a brave man. I think she knew who you were Ryo… she found out that day. She must have sent you here to find your destiny, if you hadn't already."

Ryo looked away again from her face, before murmuring, "Thank you…"

"Uh huh…" She answered.

Another tense silence hung between them before Raye sighed, "Well, I guess if any more of those Dynasty soldiers show up, we know who to call, right?"

"Yeah…" Ryo answered flatly. Another uneasy silence hung between them, before Ryo said, "Well… the train leaves in an hour… I guess I should get going…"

"Yeah…" Raye replied.

Ryo nodded once and turned for the door. His eyes remained fixed on hers halfway through it, and then finally turned away when he walked out the door. Raye remained there for a moment, lost in thought, then turned to face the silent pyre pan where she had seen Ryo even before he walked into the shrine a week ago.

Maybe it was the fact that she wouldn't be seeing Ryo again, or maybe it was some deeper connection between their own elements… regardless, after a quiet moment of thought, Raye turned and ran for the shrine entrance.

"Ryo!" She cried, stopping the boy and his tiger halfway down the steps. She ran for him, and when in earshot she asked, "Couldn't you stay longer?"

It wasn't really what she wanted to say, but it was the first thought that came out of her mouth.

Ryo stopped on the steps and turned around. "Are you saying you want me to say?"

Raye couldn't deny it any further at this point, so she nodded. "Yes, I do. I want you to stay here. It's not like you have any place else to go until college, right?"

Ryo blinked as he considered the possibilities. Perhaps… perhaps so. He never felt really at home in Tokyo anyway. He looked around at the Shrine's front… then down at White Blaze. The tiger was looking up at him with his huge brown eyes- and Ryo knew what he was saying with that stare.

_What do you want to do?_

Finally Ryo looked at Raye, who was smiling at him at the top of the Shrine's steps.

_Y'know…_

Ryo started back up the steps, and when he was face-to-face with her he smiled and said, "Y'know, you're somethin'."

She laughed, and the two of them walked back into the Shrine. White Blaze watched them walk in for a moment, then peeled off at the entrance. He turned around, stared down the steps and the world, and then lay down to curl up and sleep.

-------------------------

There are more Ronin-Senshi stories I have constructed. This is just the cornerstone of a small series, and mostly standalone… so it can be treated as a one-off.

Hopefully it was a satisfying read.


End file.
